Improvement in can-openers



A. V. Nl. SPRAS L! E.'

Gan-Upeners. 1

No.53`,39l. Patenmdjuiy 21,1374.

l/a'fwsses. Wwe Zay/f w@ JW www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN V. M. SPRAGUE, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN cAN-oPENERs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,391, dated July 21, 1874; application led April 16, 1874.

To all whom 'it may conce/ru:

Beit known that I, AUsTIN V. M. SPRAGUE, ofthe city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in (lan- Openers 5' and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the saine.

This invention relates to certain improvements in can-openers, in which the blade is pivoted to a traveling fulcrum, so as to oscillate or swing thereon for the purpose of cutting' the tin or lid of the box. This invention consists in providing the traveling fulcrum with a longitudinal slot, within which is pivoted the knife-blade, the latter being constructed with a cavity and a convex edge, in such a manner that the notch or cavity, when the tin is being cut, stands nearly horizontal with the bearing-surface of the fulcrum, so as to grasp firmly on the tin and prevent slipping, and then cuts with the convex edge, and the blade, being pivoted in the slot of the fulcrum, gives a bearing on each side of the blade, making a smooth cut, and preventing any tendency of the knife to separate from the fuleruni, as is the case where the blade is pivoted to the side of the fulcrnm, as heretofore, and insures a straight forward cut, while if pivoted on one side, the'tendency is to rnn sidewise.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a modification.

A is the fulcrum, and Bis the knife, pivotcd at a. The fulcrum rests on top the can, while the point of the knife is driven through. The cutting action is then produced by operating the handle (l, while the device is moved progressively forward. The fulcrum is simply a ilat plate of suitable length, having the bearing-lugs b b, a stop, c, for the lever to strike on, a slot, d, for the blade to playin, said slot extending either all the way through the front end of the plate, as' shown in the drawings, or only part way through, in which case it is inclosed.

The blade B is of peculiar form. It is provided with a notch or cavity, f, near the bottom of the fulcrnm, (when the handle is turned upright, as in Fig. 2,) and outside this it has a convex or circular edge, g, `standing upward, while the outer reverse end his made pointed.

This form of the cutting-edge of the blade is clearlyvexhibited in Fig. 2.

The blade above described is intended for use with a fla-t fulcrum, or one that bears at all parts upon the top of the tin. At the starting of each stroke, the thickness of the tin comes in the cavity f, which, from its form, approximating in line with the bearing of the fulcrum, holds upon the thickness and prevents any back action or sliding of the fulcrum from place. As soon as this hold is obtained, the convex edge g begins to act and cuts with a shearing cut from base to point through the slot d.

It will be noticed that the fulcrum liesflat its whole length, and therefore the knife will cut in contact with it during the whole stroke, thereby leaving a smooth edge to the tin at the cut, and preventing roughing up.

To enable this flat fulcrum to be used is the object of the peculiar-shaped edge above described, for a merely uniformly convex edge f would slide the fulcrum or bearing back, and would not secure the necessary hold at the initial movement of the cutter.`

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the traveling fulcruni A, having the longitudinal slot d, with the blade B, pivoted within the slot of the fnlcrum, and constructed with the cavity j' and convex cutting-edge y, the whole constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A. V. M. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses It. F. Oseoon,

.Moon SPAHN. 

